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Summer returned to West Cornwall over the Bank Holiday Weekend and more
than 20,000 people took full advantage of the warm sunshine, pouring into
the port of Newlyn for its annual Fish Festival.
And few of them would have gone away disappointed, with the festival
offering something for everyone, from displays of fish landed at the fish
market, to choirs and bands and numerous stalls.
The festival opened with traditional Cornish songs, performed by Newlyn
Male Choir and speeches of welcome from local VIPs and event organisers.
Newlyn beam trawler skipper David Hooper, who has worked at sea since
1955, opened the festival.
He was accompanied by Keith Dickson, superintendent of the Royal National
Mission to Deep Sea Fishermen, for which the festival is the main fundraiser,
plus local mayors, MP Andrew George, Lord St Levan, and Tony Woodhams,
chairman of the Mission advisory committee.
Mr Dickson thanked the many volunteers for all their work in planning
and organising the festival, starting as far back as last September.
"These volunteers provide the backbone of the festival in the many
unglamorous and unseen jobs that need to be done," he said.
"I would also like to thank the Harbour Commissioners for their
support and Penwith Council, who sponsor the event."
Cups and trophies were presented to local pubs for raising funds for
the Mission during the past 12 months. These included The Crown Inn, Crowlas;
King's Arms, St Just; Ship Inn, Mousehole; The Swordfish, Newlyn; Station
House, Marazion; Logan Rock, Treen; Pirate's Rugby Club, Flanagan's Bar
and the Peruvian Arms, Penzance.
Following the opening ceremony there was music by Cape Cornwall Singers,
Funny Feathers, Polperro Choir, St Keverne Band, Papa's Dixie Street Wanderers
and the Tinners.
Cookery demonstrations and stalls selling dressed crab, fresh prawns,
seafood pies and grilled fish more than cancelled out last year's complaints
over a lack of fish-related food stalls.
Seafish chefs cooking up delicious dishes during the festival included
Keir Meikle from the Navy Inn, Penzance, Paula Williams and food nutrition
adviser Helen Buxton-Smith.
Craftsmen and women were in abundance, too, with lobster-pot weavers,
wood turners, stained-glass makers, ironmongers and artists tempting visitors
with their wares.
In the harbour itself all variety of fishing boats were moored alongside
the quays for people to view and there were rescue displays by the crew
of the Penlee inshore lifeboat and local Coastguard rescue teams.
Numerous charities ran stalls during the festival, with Rotarians displaying
the contents of their life-saving emergency boxes they send to war-torn
refugees in Sudan, packed with a tent, cooking equipment and other vital
items.
For the first time at the festival a pilot gig race took place between
Penzance and Newlyn harbours which was won by a team from Devon in a gig
called The Devonian.
As the main festival neared its end, the highlight of the day was the
auction of fish in aid of the Mission, with fish merchants, hoteliers,
chefs, restaurateurs and members of the public bidding for the fruits
of the sea.
The impressive display of fish - from sharks to squid - was put together
by Newlyn fish merchants Nick Howell, Richard James, Chris Murley, Godfrey
Adams and Mike Larger. They got to the market at 6am in order to prepare
the display, which drew huge admiring crowds.
At the end of the day, the festival spirit spilled into the streets of
Newlyn, the pubs and cafes filling up with people until late in the evening.
article copyright © THE CORNISHMAN
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